Library index card file knob and rod retainer



July l2, 1966 R. c. BENCENE ETAL 3,260,263

LIBRARY INDEX CARD FILE KNOB AND ROD RETAINER Filed July 22, 1964 SIS )9 INYENTORS.

ROBERT G. BENCENE BY MALCOLM T. PHELPS A TTOPNEYS United States Patent O 3,260,263 LIBRARY INDEX CARD FILE KNB AND ROD RETAINER Robert C. Bencene and Malcolm T. Phelps, Jamestown, N.Y., assignors to Weber-Knapp Company, Jamestown,

Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,473 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-16) This invention relates to drawer type ling devices; for example, letter or legal files, or files of the type which are sometimes referred to as library index card les; and more particularly to an improved form of separator or card holding rod and locking arrangement therefor, For example, the present invention relates to improvements in devices such as are shown in U.S.A. Patent 818,090 of April 17, 1906 and British Patent 10,051 of May 8, 1908.

As disclosed for example in the prior patents referred to, a file typically employs :a horizontal wire or rod for holding the led cards or separators in place; the front end of the rod extending through an aperture formed in the file drawer header and being provided externally of the drawer with a control knob portion or the like. Interiorly of the drawer the rod is preferably given a second point of sliding support so as to maintain it in horizontal attitude and at a raised elevation above the oor of the drawer. This effect is typically obtained by simply arranging to slide-fit the rod into an aperture through the rear wall of the drawer, or through the conventionally employed card follower which comprises some form of positionally adjustable and upright standing partition device. The present invention relates to improved means for snaplocking the rod in place as it reaches its fully inserted position in the drawer, which lock means must be released by manual displacement in a direction transverse to the axial direction of the rod.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide in a le drawer of the character described, improved means for releasably locking the file rod in operative position.

Another, more specific object, is to provide an improved holding means as aforesaid comprising a simple ferrule type holder device adapted to be easily mounted within the drawer header aperture, and cooperating means on the rod knob and in the holder for positively preventing unintended displacements of the rod.

Another object is to provide an improved device as aforesaid wherein the ferrule-like holder incorporates a novel combination lock and spring member which is operable to bias the rod in improved manner into locked position.

Another object is to provide an improved device as aforesaid wherein the combination lock and spring member simply snap-lit into secure assembly with the holder member 'against rotational and/or axial movement relative to the holder.

Another object is to provide an improved device as aforesaid which is inexpensive to manufacture; involves the use of no rivets, screws, weldments or the like; and yet is rugged and durable and fail-proof in operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specication hereinafter which describes one form of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawing where- FIG. l is a Vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through :a card filing drawer, and illustrating a card holding rod equipped with the locking device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged scale view of the rod knob and lock portion of the device of FIG. 1, showing by solid lines the rod knob in its normal or locked position, and by broken 'lines the rod knob in its released position;

ICC

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective, disassembled, views of the two components of the rod holder and lock -unit of the invention.

As shown in the drawing herewith, the rod and retainer device of the present invention may be employed in connection with 'an index card ling drawer shown by way of example in FIG. 1 to comprise a bottom plate 10; side plates 12; rear plate 14; and a header plate 16.V It will be appreciated that the drawer may be of any desired construction, but will in any case include a header plate apertured at a position adjacent to but somewhat above the bottom level of the drawer so as to accommodate in slide-fitting relation therethrough a card holding rod as indicated at 18. Also, as indicated at 19 (FIG. 1), the drawer will preferably be equipped with a positionally adjustable card follower, which will also be apertured at the same elevation. Hence, the rod 18 will be slidably supported in horizontal attitude slightly above the bottom level of the drawer, and is thus adapted to slip-lit through registering apertures in the index cards or the like which are to be filed in the drawer. Thus, the cards are held against accidental displacement from the drawer, while removal and/ or additions to the card file may be easily made by temporarily withdrawing the rod 18 from its operative position as shown in FIG. 1.

The present invention has to do with the knob or front end of the rod and to the detachable locking means located in the drawer header. As shown best in FIG. 2, the rod knob includes a pull portion 20 for manual gripping and control of the rod as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The knob pull portion 20 i-s located at the extreme outer end of the rod 18 and thus meets in abutting relation with the drawer header 16 when the rod is in operative position. The knob portion of the device also includes a reduced diameter neck portion 22 located intermediately of the pull 20 and an enlarged shoulder portion 24. The shoulder portion 24 is formed in sharp right angled relation to the reduced neck portion 22 and is subtended rearwardly by a tapered shank portion 26.

To detach-ably lock the rod in -operative position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, `3, a two-piece lock unit is provided. The iirst component comprises a generally cylindricalshaped holder as indicated at 30 which is provided to have an outstanding periphery flange portion 32 at its outer end. The outside diameter of the body of the member 30 is such 4as to snugly slip-tit into the cylindrical bore -or aperture formed through the drawer header '16; and Ithus when the holder 30 is pressed into the drawer aperture, 'the end flange 32 abuts the outer face 0f the header yand thereby positions the holder as shown. To lock the holder member 30 against accidental displacement from mounted position within the header 1 6, it may be upset or shape-deformed in any preferred manner, whereby the deformed metal of the member -30k will lock into the material of the drawer header and prevent accidental displacement of the 'holder from the dra'wer.

The second component lof the rod lock unit comprises a novel spring member as illustrated best in FIG. 5. This member is formed of spring steel or the like and cornprises a generally cylindrical-shaped piece having opposite curved side walls 36, 36 joined integrally by a ila-t bottom wall 38. A pair of spring fingers as indicated at 40, 40 are formed to extend axially of the device from the inner edge of each side wall portion 36, 36; and the parts are so dimensioned and arranged that when the spring member is force-fitted into the holder member 30 to its operative position as shown in FIG. 2, the spring ngers y40, 40 extend radially inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the unit. Hence, whenever the rod 18 is inserted through the lock unit and towards the operative position as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the tapered shank portion 26 of the rod knob initially springs the arms 40, 40 upward-ly and outwardly until such time as the enlarged shoulder portion 24 slips over the rear edge of the fiat bottom plate 38, and then downwardly therebehind as shown in FIGS. 2, 3. This action locks the knob and rod unit 'against accidental release of the rod knob relative to the spring component of the lock unit.

In order to release the rod from the lock unit, the pull portion 20 is simply raised upwardly as to the broken line position thereof s-hown in FIG. 2, during which action `the spring fingers 40, 40 are again forced upwardly and outwardly until the lower edge of the shoulder 24 clears the inner edge of ythe at bottom plate A38. Hence, by rst lifting up on the pull 20, and then pulling forward- 1y thereon, the card holding rod 18 is easily displad and withdrawn relative to the drawer.

To Ihold the spring component of the lock unit in pla-ce relative to the holder sleeve 30, the top wall portion of the sleeve 30 is coined inwardly to provide depressed ceiling portions as indicated at 42, 42 interconnected -by a depressed ridge portion 44. Also, the opposite sides of the 4wall of cylinder 30 are inwardly deformed as indicated at 34 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4) to provide dwells into which the sides of the spring member snapt, when in assembled relation. Also, when the spring member is force-fitted into the sleeve 30 as to the position shown in FIG. 2, the upper ends of `the curved side walls 36, 36 of the spring member snap-fit into the ceiling areas which are bounded by the depressed areas 42, 42, 44; thereby firmly locking the spring member in the holder 30. To facilitate entry of the rod and knob unit through the spring member incidental to card replacements or the like, the yfront edge of the spring member is preferably formed with an inclined ramp as indicated at 4'6.

Thus, it will be appreciated that by virtue Iof the present invention a structurally simple rod holding device is pr-ovided such as may Ibe inexpensively manufactured andv assembled while featuring .the advantage of being positive and sure and fail-proof in operation. No rivets or screws or weldments o-r the like are required in the construction; and the rod locks in operative position by simply :snap-iitt-ing thereinto, and is released therefrom by the simplest of manual procedures involving rst lifting the knob 20 and then pulling forwardly. It is a particular feature of the invention that the spring ngers 40, 40 biasing th-e rod down into locked position yoperate automatically to center the rod relative to the lloc-k unit and to the aperture through the drawer header. Thus, the spring action insures properly centered locations of the trod head 20 at all times, and `thereby contributes to `the ornamental .appearance of the complete iile.

We claim:

1. In an index card le of .the type having a container including a front wall provided lwith an aperture and a holder rod extending through said aperture into the in.- terior of the container,

a rod retainer disposed within said aperture, said rod retainer comprising a cylindrical holder fixed to said fron-t wall within said aperture andl a separate spring member disposed within said holder,

said holder including an inwardly projecting and axially extending ridge between its opposite ends and a pair of spa-ced, opposed abutment members projecting inwardly adjacent the opposite ends of said ridge,

said spring member comprising an elongate strip of spring material of generally U-shaped form having a fiat intermediate portion bridging the in-terior of said holder in chordwise relation thereto, said spring member also having arcuate opposite end portions engaged in contiguous relation with inner surface porti-ons of said holder and terminating in spaced opposite end edges straddling said ridge to orient said spring member with respect to said holder Iand preclude relative lrotation therebetween, said spring member being dispos-ed in captive relation Ibetween said abut ment members to .axially orient said spring member within said holder,

said spring member also including a pair of spring {inge-rs extending from that side edge of the spring member facing the interior -of the container and adjacent respective ones of said end edges of the spring member, said spring ngers being inclined inward-ly toward the axis of said holder,

said holder rod terminating in a knob limiting inward axial disposition of the rod, said rod including a cylindrical neck of a diameter to be received, with radial clearance, within the contines of said spring member and a bulbous head joined to said neck and presenting .a radially disposed annular abutment face at the juncture of said neck and bulbous head,

said spring iingers being engaged with said bulbous head to normal-ly maintain said neck against said fiat intermediate portion of the spring mem-ber when said rod is in its limited position of axial inward displacement, and said annular abutment surface being spaced f-rom said knob to position the abutment surface inwardly of but closely adjacent to the inner edge of said fiat intermediate portion of the spring member when the rod is in such position.

2. A rod retainer as defined in claim `1 including an inclined ramp member on the rear edge of said fiat intermediate portion of the spring member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,09() 4/1906 Hunter 129'-l6 1,678,357 7/1928 Sampson 129-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,051 1908 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN AN INDEX CARD FILE OF THE TYPE HAVING A CONTAINER INCLUDING A FRONT WALL PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE AND A HOLDER ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, A ROD RETAINER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID APERTURE, SAID ROD RETAINER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOLDER FIXED TO SAID FRONT WALL WITHIN SAID APERTURE AND A SEPARATE SPRING MEMEBR DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOLDER SAID HOLDER INCLUDING AN INWARDLY PROJECTING AND AXIAL LY EXTENDING RIDGE BETWEEN ITS OPPOSITE ENDS AND A PAIR OF SPACED, OPPOSED ABUTMENT MEMBERS PROJECTING INWARDLY ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID RIDGE, SAID SPRING MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATE STRIP OF SPRING MATERIAL OF GENERALLY U-SHAPED FORM HAING A FLAT INTERMEDIATE PORTION BRIDGING THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOLDER IN CHORDWISE RELATION THERETO, SAID SPRING MEMBERS ALSO HAVING ARCUATE OPPOSITE END PORTIONS ENGAGED IN CONTIGUOUS RELATION WITH INNER SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID HOLDER AND TERMINATING IN SPACED OPPOSITE END EDGES STRADDLING SAID RIDGE TO ORIENT SAID SPRING MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOLDER AND PRECLUDE RELATIVE ROTATION THEREBETWEEN, SAID SPRING MEMBER BEING DISPOSED IN CAPTIVE RELATION BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENT MEMBERS TO AXIALLY ORIENT SAID SPRING MEMBER WITHIN SAID HOLDER, SAID SPRING MEMBER ALSO INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPRING FINGERS EXTENDING FROM THAT SIDE EDGE OF THE SPRING MEMBER FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER AND ADJACENT RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID END EDGES OF THE SPRING MEMBER, SAID SPRING FINGERS BEING INCLINED INWARDLY TOWARD THE AXIS OF SAID HOLDER, SAID HOLDER ROD TERMIMATING IN A KNOB LIMITING INWARD AXIAL DISPOSITION OF THE ROD, SAID ROD INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL NECK OF A DIAMETER TO BE RECEIVED, WITH RADIAL CLEARANCE, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID SPRING MEMBER AND A BULBOUS HEAD JOINED TO SAID NECK AND PRESENTING A RADIALLY DISPOSED ANNULAR ABUTMENT FACE AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID NECK AND BULBOUS HEAD, SAID SPRING FINGERS BEING ENGAGED WITH SAID BULBOUS HEAD TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN SAID NECK AGAINST SAID FLAT INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE SPRING MEMBER WHEN SAID ROD IS IN ITS LIMITED POSITION OF AXIAL INWARD DISPLACEMENT, AND SAID ANNULAR ABUTMENT SURFACE BEING SPACED FROM SAID KNOB TO POSITION THE ABUTMENT SURFACE INWARDLY OF BUT CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE INNER EDGE OF SAID FLAT INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE SPRING MEMBER WHEN THE ROD IS IN SUCH POSITION. 